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(No Medal.) I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1,

H. G. MOORMAN.

SAFE. No. 586,521. Patented July 13, 189T ATTORNEY.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2- H. G. MOORMAN. SAFE.

No. 586,521. Patented July 13, 1897.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY G. MOORMAN, OF ELIZABETH, PENNSYLVANIA.

SAFE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 586,521, dated July 13,1897.

Application filed March 2 3, 1 8 9 6.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY G. MooRMAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Elizabeth, in the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inSafes; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference markedthereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in safes.

A description of the construction and operation will be fully shown anddescribed in the accompanying drawings and specification. Figure 1 is afront view of the safe. Fig. 2 is a side view. Fig. 3 is a sectionalview of the safe and door, showing the construction; and Fig. 4 is aView of the bolt-locking mechanism. Fig. 5 is a detail showing moreparticularly the door and its receiving-opening of the safe.

In constructing the safe I provide a series of cylinders or tubes 1,formed of wroughtiron, some of which have threads cut the entire lengthupon their inner and outer surfaces and some have the threads out onlywhere the circular edges of the plates 2 and 3 (which form the back anddoor) are joined thereto. Some of these cylinders or tubes have groovesturned within their inner and outer surfaces, fitted within which arethe hardened-steel rings 4, (the section of which is shown in black tobetter distinguish them from other parts.) The circular plates 2, whichform the back of the safe, also have grooves turned. within their facesand provided with hardened -steel rings 4. Each plate is also providedwith threads for securing said plates together in the manner shown. Thecylinder and back being thus secured together in the manner shown arefurther secured by the large circular rings 7 The rings 8' are shrunkenupon the outer body of the cylinder, affording additional security. Theplates 3, forming the door, are provided with grooves and rings A andare secured together similar to those of the back of the safe,

Serial No. 584,442. (No model.)

but said door is capable of being unscrewed from and replaced in thebody of the safe by means of the mechanism described herein- Attached tothe sides of said boss are the v brackets 20, having pins 21 securedthereto. The friction-wheels 22 surround said pins and are provided withballs, forming a ball-bearing. The surfaces of said friction-wheelsoperate against the inner edge of the face-plate 24. Secured between thesaid friction-wheels is a case 25, containing a coiled spring 25 one endbeing secured thereto, the other being secured to the shaft 17, theobject of which is to provide a means of automatically screwing the doorin place, which is accomplished by turning the hand-wheel 18 to wind upthe spring and securing the same by the ratchetteeth 25 and pawl 26, sothat when said pawl is released the spring will act and cause thefriction-wheels to revolve against the faceplate. By turning thehand-wheel to unscrew the door the coiled spring is again wound up readyfor use. A shaft 27,'secured to the arm 16 at one end and provided withbearings in the bracket 15 and standard 28, has secured to its outer endthe gear-wheel 29 and operates with the gears 30 and 31. Said gears 30and 31 are supported by shafts 32 and 33 on the standard 13. The shaft32 is provided with a ratchet-wheel 34, and the standard 13 with a pawl35, said shaft also having a handcrank 36, and said pawl engaging saidratchetwheel. Operating in the teeth of the pinion 31 is a rack-bar 32,inclosed within a cylinder 33, secured to the upright standard 34 andcap 35 Within the said cylinder is a spiral spring 37. The object ofsaid spring and rack is for the purpose of transmitting movement,through the gears, to the liftingarm 16 and door 3, so that when thedoor is lifted and thrown back uponthe top of the safe the spring 37will put a tension upon the rack and gears, thereby in a measurechecking the fall of the door. By turning the handcrank 36 the door maybe lifted up and held by the ratchet 3a and pawl 35, said pawl beingprovided with a wire for operating the same.

The locking mechanism consists of a flanged case 10, containing thegear-wheel 38. The racks 40, formed upon the plates 39, operate with thesaid gear. The pins 41 are suitably secured to the said plates. Anautomatic lock of suitable construction is provided to operate thelocking mechanism, said locking mechanism being attached to the innerface of the door by the plate 11. Steel plates 8 are set into the doorand back of safe, as shown. Secured to the arm 16 is a small cylinder42, having a pin or plunger 43 securely held therein by the spring 44,so that when the door is thrown up and rearward the spring will act as acushion for the plunger, thereby preventing the sudden jarring of thedoor upon the top of the safe.

The frame 50, upon which the safe is secured, rests upon the truck 51.

To open the safe, the wheel 18 is grasped and properly turned to theleft, unscrewing and withdrawing the door from the safe, at the sametime pnttin g the spring 25 for subsequently automatically screwing thedoor to its closed position, under tension. The door when fullywithdrawn from its opening in the safe is then elevated, which iseffected by grasping and turning the crank 36, operating the gearing 2930, moving the arm l6,with the door, upward tothe required height, andsaid door permitted to be dropped back upon the safe, the pin or stop 43first coming in contact with the latter to relieve concussion orjar,whicl1 would otherwise take place. The

closing of the safe is effected, of course, by just a reverse operationof these parts.

It will be understood that the gear 31 and rack 32 are also operatedsimultaneously with the gearing 29 30, whereby the spring 37 is putunder tension for the purpose above stated.

It will be seen that a safe of this construction is absolutelyburglar-proof, as no drill can possibly penetrate it at any pointwithout coming in contact with the steel rings or plates, theconstruction of the safe, as shown, forminga practically solid cylinderand heads of laminated metal.

Having thus shown and described my invention, What I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a safe, the combination of the rightangled arm connected to thedoor at one end, the shaft 27 secured to said arm at its opposite endand bearing in a bracket supported upon the safe,the spring-pressedrack, intermediate gearing between said rack and shaft, means foractuating said gearing and means for preventing reverse movement of saidgearing, substantially as set forth.

2. In a safe, the combination of the circular door having theface-plate, the hand-actuated shaft bearing at one end in saidfaceplate, a stationary casing, and the coiled spring connected to saidshaft and casing and adapted to screw said door to its place,substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I aihx my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY G. MOORMAN.

Witnesses:

JAs. J. MoAFEE, FRED Lows.

